CES News (150)

“Catholic schools welcome pupils from all backgrounds. This isolated incident has given a false impression of the inclusive nature of Catholic schools.

"Catholic schools are places where all children can flourish and as such have a zero-tolerance approach to LGBT+ discrimination. Nationally the CES has worked closely with schools, dioceses, and charities to produce Catholic inclusivity guidance and resources for schools that have won acclaim from LGBT+ organisations.

"We would encourage Catholic schools to work closely with their diocese to ensure that all Catholic schools can be welcoming and inclusive centres of learning where everyone is respected as a human being made in the image and likeness of God.”

Update: statement from the Archdiocese of Southwark

“At the heart of every Catholic school sits the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Catholic Church. 

"We expect all Catholic schools to remain faithful to the Church’s teaching on the truth and dignity of the human person. This teaching should never give cause to foster a culture of bigotry or intolerance. 

"In fact, hatred and discrimination is itself contrary to Church teaching as it fundamentally disrespects the God-given dignity of each human life.  

"Any impression that the John Fisher school is anything other than an inclusive centre of learning that allows young people to flourish is deeply regrettable. The Archdiocese acted to ensure the material put in front of the children was age-appropriate.

"We are continuing to work with the John Fisher School moving forward.”

Picture1Marking the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Catholic Education Service (CES), Pope Francis has gratefully received a copy of the CES’s latest publication Catholic Schools: Partners in Formation.

The booklet – which includes an overview of Catholic schools in England and Wales – reflects on the distinctive nature of Catholic schools and on why the Church provides them.

It was presented to the Holy Father in the Vatican by CES Director Paul Barber, in his capacity as President of L’Office International Enseignement Catholique (OIEC).

The booklet has already received warm welcome by UK Parliamentarians earlier in the year, at an event which saw the guest of honour, Education Secretary the Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi, recognise the tremendous value of Catholic education across the country.

The chapters are illustrated with case studies of schools, teachers, parents, and alumni, which offer compelling testimonials of the Catholic ethos in action. In the famous words of Pope Francis, which the case studies testify to, “educating is an act of love; it is like giving life”.

Paul Barber, CES Director, said: “It was an honour to share the milestone of the 175th anniversary of the CES with the Holy Father, who understands the crucial presence and distinctive nature of Catholic schools. The testimonials contained within this booklet offer a small glimpse into the many good fruits of the Catholic ethos in schools in England and Wales, which we hope he will enjoy reading.”

The Catholic Church is currently the second-largest provider of education in England and Wales, with 2,200 schools, 850,000 pupils and 50,000 members of staff, and four universities. Educating more than a quarter of a million non-Catholics and with a pupil population significantly more ethnically and socially diverse than the national average, Catholic schools maintain their strong track record of being at the service of all.

The booklet concludes with an optimistic outlook for Catholic schools in England and Wales, for their next 175 years of forming well-rounded young people and contributing the highest standard of virtues-based education to the common good.

Marcus Web Image

Speaking to a gathering of Catholic educators in Parliament on Wednesday (23 February), the Secretary of State for Education, the Rt Hon Nadim Zahawi MP said he was ‘proud to call’ the Catholic Church a ‘partner’ in the provision of education.  

The event was hosted by Conservative MP Mary Robinson and was celebrating the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Catholic Education Service (CES).

To mark the occasion the CES also used the opportunity to launch a new publication entitled Catholic Schools: Partners in Formation. The book gives a brief overview of the history of Catholic education in England and Wales as well as a reflection on why the Church continues to provide Catholic schools with their distinct ethos.

A copy of the book was presented to the Secretary of State by the Rt Rev Marcus Stock, Bishop of Leeds and Chairman of the Catholic Education Service.

The event was attended by more than 100 guests including representatives from Dioceses, Catholic universities, and other Catholic educational institutions.

Also in attendance was Amanda Spielman, Chief inspector of Ofsted, the Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel De Souza, representatives from the DfE, MPs (including the Rt Hon Jacob Rees Mogg) and members of the House of Lords.

In his speech to the assembled guests Bishop Marcus Stock said: “When it comes to being partners, the Catholic Church was the first provider of schools in England.

“Today with 2,200 schools, 850,000 pupils and 50,000 members of staff, and four universities, it is the second-largest provider of education in our country. This is an incredible achievement, and represents one of the most successful Government partnerships, in the delivery of such an essential service as education and schooling.”

Responding to the bishop in his speech the Rt Hon Nadim Zahawi MP said: “I am extremely grateful to be given an opportunity to speak to you all in person at this important event to celebrate 175 years of the Catholic Education Service.

“175 years is a significant achievement, so I just want to thank everyone in the room, and of course colleagues here who are so supportive of this extraordinary human endeavour and recognise the incredible valuable work that you do and have done and continue to on behalf of so many young people and staff in school across our country. 

“You deserve high praise, since many of your schools serve some of our most diverse and disadvantaged communities where the challenges include reaching out to those families where neither parent may be in work or those for whom English is a second language - as it was for this Secretary of State.”

The Secretary of State concluded his speech by saying, in reference to the Catholic Church’s historic roll as a provider of schools that he was “proud to call [the Church] my partner”. 

Pictured are The Rt Rev Marcus Stock, the Rt Hon Nadim Zahawi, and Mr Paul Barber (CES Director) 

By The Right Reverend Marcus Stock, Bishop of Leeds, Chair of the Catholic Education Service, and The Right Reverend Bishop John Arnold, Bishop of Salford, Lead Bishop for the Environment

As we near the end of the first week of the COP26 UN climate summit, two Catholic bishops have issued a statement lauding the action and commitment of Catholic school pupils in their response to the ecological crisis.

Bishop Marcus Stock, Chair of the Catholic Education Service, and Bishop John Arnold, Lead Bishop for the Environment, acknowledge that it is young people that will have to live with the long-term impacts of the climate crisis but, equally, they are at the heart of the Church’s response:

“In Laudato Si’ Pope Francis asks us the key question, ‘What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?’ This is a profound question which gets to the heart of why the environmental crisis matters and the pressing need for us as a global community to reverse climate change.

“Ultimately our young people are the future, and it is they that will have to live with the long-term ramifications of the ecological crisis. However, it is also the young who can have the most impact in delivering the changes we need to address the climate emergency. That is why one of the most striking elements of the public’s response to the climate and ecological crisis, especially in the run up to the COP 26, is that it has been energised by the participation of children and young people.

Contemplative, active and prayerful response

“It has been really encouraging to see hundreds of thousands of young Catholics across the country get involved with projects that care for our common home, especially in our network of Catholic schools. We know that our pupils care passionately about this topic and many schools have embedded Pope Francis’ words and intentions from Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti into their wider school curriculum.

"In this way, the response to the ecological crisis by our young people can be both contemplative and active, but also rooted in prayer and in the teachings of the Church.

“Fundamental to Catholic education is the principle of the formation of the whole person and therefore it is right that Catholic schools are forming the next generation of the stewards of God’s creation.”

Wednesday, 31 March 2021 10:13

Leading a culture of teacher excellence

By Nigel Genders, Chief Education Officer, Church of England and Paul Barber, Director, Catholic Education Service

Today the Government announces its partner providers for the reformed suite of National Professional Qualifications (NPQ) for teachers and education leaders which launches in the autumn. We are delighted that, among nine national providers, is a new partnership between the Church of England and Catholic Education Service.

The new frameworks for NPQs is an expansive vision for the whole education sector, and we are pleased that the Government has recognised the strengths of our shared vision for children and adults to flourish, and we are enormously excited to be working together at a pivotal moment across the education sector.

Together the Catholic Church and Church of England, run more than a third of all the country’s schools and play a particularly rich role in the wider education landscape. Our delivery of these qualifications will be across all parts of the country, from Northumberland to Cornwall, from Herefordshire to East Anglia. We will be working with a fantastic range of delivery partners – Teaching School Hubs, Multi Academy Trusts and high performing schools – in each region, and we look forward to welcoming many thousands of teachers and leaders onto the suite of NPQ programmes in the coming years.

And our offer is not just for our own schools, but for everyone, with a particular focus on ensuring that rural school leaders can access and benefit from the programmes. At a local level, this will mean exciting new partnerships between schools, MATs and other networks. At a national level, it will enable us to play our full role in investing heavily in the thing we know the evidence shows makes the biggest difference – our core purpose as leaders – leading a culture of teacher excellence.

The new NPQ frameworks are built from a rich, evidence-informed understanding of what works in school leadership, and they create a clear pathway for teachers’ formation over their whole careers. The coherence and clarity of the national roll-out of the Early Career Framework (ECF) reforms, the re-shaping of the Senior Leadership (NPQSL), Headship (NPQH) and Executive Leadership (NPQEL) programmes, and the creation of new specialist qualifications for aspiring school leaders can give us real confidence about a professional development entitlement that works for leaders in all schools – small and large, primary and secondary, rural and urban.

This is a step-change in leadership thinking, which is not seeking simply a more productive workforce, or a deeper academic understanding of research literature. Rather, it is calling back educational leaders to our core purpose – leading a culture of teacher excellence.

Providing these NPQ programmes across the country gives us a unique opportunity to place teacher excellence at the heart of our recovery from the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic. This central focus on culture will be key to our delivery, and on every course, every leader will be working closely with an expert coach to explore and plan how to apply knowledge effectively into a variety of contexts.

Whether teaching a mixed-age class in a small rural primary school, or leading a large MAT across a region or nation, our first call in educational leadership is to put teaching first. Although there are many other aspects of our roles, these can sometimes cloud or distract us from this core purpose – to secure the very best teaching experience for every child in our care. And that means leadership built on authenticity, integrity and a renewed sense of vision and purpose.

In 2016, the Church of England published its Vision for Education, articulating a focus on Wisdom, Knowledge & Skills, Hope & Aspiration, Community & Living Well Together and Dignity & Respect. Putting this vision into practice starts with leaders who build a culture of teacher excellence. Similarly, in 2018 the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales commissioned the Formatio initiative to support the development and formation of leaders in Catholic schools. As such it should come as no surprise as to why we are so pleased to be playing our part in the new NPQ landscape.

Creating and sustaining such a culture means we can fully realise our vision for education for every child, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Through pursuing excellence in teaching and working together for the common good, we will be enacting social justice for every community.

 The Catholic Education Service has made it clear to the Welsh Government that they risk ‘losing the trust of the Catholic community’ in Wales if they continue with their planned changes to Religious Education in Catholic schools.

Angela Keller, CES Wales Adviser, made these comments while giving evidence to the Senedd’s Children, Young People and Education Committee as it scrutinises the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill.

The Bill has caused alarm among Catholic educators because it penalises Catholic schools, placing additional and unreasonable legal requirements on them that no other schools have to satisfy, specifically forcing them to teach an additional (secular) RE curriculum.

The proposed legislation seeks to change the name of RE to Religion Values and Ethics, something that all those on the evidence panel (which included representatives from the Church in Wales, the RE teaching profession and local government) strongly disagreed with.

In their evidence, the CES highlighted a ‘lack of trust’ between the Welsh Government and Catholic schools, and that the Bill gave the distinct impression to the Catholic community that these changes were needed because something was wrong with Catholic RE in the first place.

The CES also echoed the concerns of all 84 Catholic headteachers in Wales who wrote a joint letter to the First Minister highlighting the damaging impact these proposals would have on Catholic schools.

The evidence session provided the opportunity for the CES to make the case for parents as the primary educators of their children and insisted that the Catholic community would resist the Bill’s proposals to remove parents’ right of withdrawal from both RE and Relationship and Sex Education.

The extreme unfairness of the new proposals, that would allow a non-Catholic parent the right to demand secular RE for their child in a Catholic school, but would not allow a Catholic parent the right to ask for Catholic RE to be given to their child in a secular school, were also pointed out.

After the evidence session (which took place on Thursday 15 October) CES Wales Adviser Angela Keller commented: “Everyone giving evidence represented either a State partner or a member of the RE profession, and each one of us said the Welsh Government was going in the wrong direction.

“It’s hurtful that the Welsh Government appears to see Catholic schools as the problem because we teach Catholic RE. The Welsh Government needs to start trusting Catholic schools and the professionals who work extremely hard in them.”

 

Notes to Editors

 

  • Further information about the Children, Young People and Education Committee evidence session can be found here: https://business.senedd.wales/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=443&MId=6544&Ver=4
  • The Catholic Church is Wales comprises of three dioceses; the Diocese of Wrexham, the Diocese of Menevia and the Archdiocese of Cardiff. Collectively they have an estimated Catholic population of over 200,000 people
  • There are 84 Catholic schools in Wales, all of which are Voluntary Aided Schools
  • Welsh Catholic schools educate almost 28,000 pupils and employ more than 1500 teachers
  • 54% of pupils in Welsh Catholic schools are of the Catholic faith 
  • On 5 May 2020, The Welsh Government opened its ‘Curriculum for Wales: Religion, values and ethics’ consultation. This consultation followed on from a previous consultation (entitled ‘Ensuring Access to the Full Curriculum’) which asked respondents to comment on a number of proposals, including a change of name for Religious Education and the intention to rescind the parental right of withdrawal from the subject in the new curriculum.
  • Many teachers and leaders in Catholic schools across Wales responded to that consultation to oppose the changes, viewing it as an assault on parental rights and on the academic rigour of Religious Education in Catholic schools
  • According to the Welsh Government’s own consultation analysis, opposition to its proposals came from across the whole sector https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/consultations/2020-01/full-report-ensuring-access-to-the-full-curriculum.pdf
  • Despite fervent opposition the Welsh Government has moved to introduce these changes to rename Religious Education to Religion, Values and Ethics in the new curriculum
  • Concerns have also been raised over the lack of due process and transparency as the Government may publish the Bill before it considers responses to the RVE consultation
  • The letter from every catholic headteacher to the First Minister can be found here: https://www.catholiceducation.org.uk/component/k2/item/1003692-catholic-school-heads-unite-to-oppose-re-changes

ENDS

The headteacher of every Catholic school in Wales has written to the First Minister asking him to rethink his Government’s proposed changes to Religious Education.

The headteachers of more than 80 Welsh Catholic schools have signed a joint letter asking the Rt Hon Mark Drakeford MS, to stop the proposed legislation surrounding RE which specifically targets the Catholic ethos of their schools.

With the plans uniquely affecting their schools, the headteachers have taken the unprecedented step of collectively asking for reassurance that it is not the Government’s specific intention to damage Catholic schools. 

The Welsh Government plans to expand the scope of traditional RE to ‘Religion Values and Ethics’, removing the academic rigor of the subject and reducing it to an over-simplistic comparison exercise which fails to understand the fundamentals of faith and religion. 

The new proposals, published in May, specifically penalise Catholic schools, placing additional and unreasonable legal requirements on them that no other schools have to satisfy, specifically forcing them to teach two separate RE curriculums without any consideration of resourcing impactions this would have for schools.

In their letter, the headteachers state that the proposed changes to RE fail to recognise the heritage and deep connection Religious Education has within church schools, including Catholic schools, which dedicate 10% of curriculum time to the subject.

They go on to say the Welsh Government’s desire to create a so-called ‘neutral values’ curriculum risks moving towards a homogeneous education system which would no longer recognise children’s legal right to pursue a deep knowledge and spiritual understanding of their own faith as well as those of others.

Prior to the proposed legislation, a majority of respondents to the Government’s consultation said they were against the name change of RE and that they supported the continuation of parents’ rights to withdraw their children from RE. On both of these, the Welsh Government have ignored popular opinion.

Paul Barber, Director of the Catholic Education Service, which represents Catholic schools in Wales, commented: “I hope this letter from all of the headteachers makes the Welsh Government realise the overwhelming strength of feeling against these proposals to the Catholic community. They strike at the very identity of Catholic schools and at the heart of the principle that that parents, and not the State, are the primary and principal educators of their children.”

Notes to Editors

  • The full letter can be read here
  • The Catholic Church is Wales comprises of three dioceses; the Diocese of Wrexham, the Diocese of Menevia and the Archdiocese of Cardiff. Collectively they have an estimated Catholic population of over 200,000 people
  • There are 84 Catholic schools in Wales, all of which are Voluntary Aided Schools
  • Welsh Catholic schools educate almost 28,000 pupils and employ more than 1500 teachers
  • 54% of pupils in Welsh Catholic schools are of the Catholic faith 
  • On 5 May 2020, The Welsh Government opened its ‘Curriculum for Wales: Religion, values and ethics’ consultation. This consultation followed on from a previous consultation (entitled ‘Ensuring Access to the Full Curriculum’) which asked respondents to comment on a number of proposals, including a change of name for Religious Education and the intention to rescind the parental right of withdrawal from the subject in the new curriculum.
  • Many teachers and leaders in Catholic schools across Wales responded to the Ensuring Access to the Full Curriculum consultation to oppose the changes, viewing it as an assault on parental rights and on the academic rigour of Religious Education in Catholic schools
  • According to the Welsh Government’s analysis of the Ensuring Access to the Full Curriculum consultation, opposition to its proposals came from across the whole sector https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/consultations/2020-01/full-report-ensuring-access-to-the-full-curriculum.pdf
  • Despite fervent opposition the Welsh Government has moved to introduce these changes to rename Religious Education to Religion, Values and Ethics in the new curriculum
  • Serious concerns were also raised by parents and teachers about the removal of the parental right of withdrawal for RE  as it infringed on the core Catholic belief that parents are the primary educators and the legal right of children to receive an upbringing in their faith
  • The Welsh Government intends to introduce a Curriculum and Assessment Bill in order to implement these changes
  • Concerns have also been raised over the lack of due process and transparency as the Government may publish the Bill before it considers responses to the RVE consultation
  • At the time of writing, the CES understands that the Government is not minded to postpone the legislation, regardless of the unforeseen impact of the Covid-19 crisis on schools 

ENDS

BISHOP MARCUS’ CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

 
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
 
Throughout this last year, all of us have had to find ways of supporting our families, communities, schools and parishes during a very stressful time and a period of immense challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted upon the lives of millions of peoples across all nations, cultures and religions. This virus has affected every person and forced us to change the way we live. 
 
For this reason, the season of Advent this year has been for us a time of longing and expectation like no other. We pray for health, wellbeing, and a return to a life free from the restrictions under which we have had to learn to live.
 
Consequently, as this school term and calendar year draws to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks to the governing bodies and academy trusts for the strategic lead which you have taken in guiding our schools through this time. I wish to thank our headteachers and school leaders for the incredible day-to-day ministry which you have exercised to keep our schools open and to enable our children and young people to receive the education which is so vital to the flourishing of their current and future lives. I desire to thank too, teachers, learning assistants, chaplains and all of the staff in our schools for your tireless energy and resilience in managing the complex and frequently changing responsibilities which you have been required to undertake to permit learning and teaching and the spiritual life of the school to be undertaken safely and effectively.
 
The strains which you have had to face cannot be underestimated and will, I know, have impacted upon the personal wellbeing of a great many of you. Yet, with immense selfsacrifice and determination, our schools have put the welfare of children and young people first. You have not only given stability to the pupils in our schools in a time of uncertainty but also been a bulwark of support to their parents, families and communities. 
 
The Church and the whole of our society owes you all a great deal of gratitude.
 
May God bless you, your families and loved ones in these joyful Advent and Christmas seasons, and keep you safe and well throughout the Year of Our Lord 2021.
 

With the assurance of my prayers for you all,  I remain, yours in Christ Jesus

 
Marcus Stock
Chairman of Catholic Education Service
Bishop of Leeds

Paul Barber, Director of the Catholic Education Service commented: “Catholic schools have a particular care for the poorest and most vulnerable in society, and are rightly concerned about the effects of a prolonged absence from school for these and other children. Many Catholic schools are therefore already planning for opening in a safe and sustainable manner as soon as conditions allow it.

“The COVID-19 crisis has presented schools with an unprecedented challenge and in Catholic schools, school leaders, teachers and support staff have gone above and beyond the call of duty. Any phased reopening must place the safety, health and well-being of pupils and staff as its number one priority and should be done in close collaboration with dioceses and local authorities.

“In this respect, schools must be provided with clear information, proper support and enough time to plan and make thorough risk assessments, before they make the final decision to re-open. The CES remains committed to working with the Government to ensure that these key elements of support are put in place for dioceses and governing bodies.

“With pupils having missed a significant part of the school year, parents need to know that, as we slowly return to some semblance of normality, Catholic schools will be able to provide the pastoral, educational and spiritual support that are so needed in these challenging times.” 

 ENDS

To all teachers, parents, support staff, governors and pupils in Catholic schools

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In what has been arguably one of the most challenging periods of time in a generation, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all who are working in Catholic education.

True to their vocation, the leaders, teachers and support staff in our Catholic schools and colleges have worked selflessly and outstandingly, often at great personal cost and with potential risks to themselves and their families. By keeping schools and colleges open for vulnerable pupils and children of key workers, providing home-learning resources, teaching lessons remotely, maintaining the spiritual and pastoral care of pupils, keeping in touch with families and so much more, our education workforce have rendered a great service both to the nation and to their communities in this time of need.

We should pay tribute also to the parents of pupils who, along with all of the day to day challenges they have had to face during this pandemic crisis, have exercised their role as the first educators of their children within their homes. Nevertheless, many parents are worried about the amount of school-time their children have missed and how this will impact on their development and their future.

We know too, that this crisis is disproportionately affecting the disadvantaged. Our Catholic schools have a special mission to care for the poorest and most vulnerable children and young people in society, and they have significantly more pupils from the most deprived backgrounds than other schools. It is critical therefore that every effort is made to enable more pupils to resume their education in school as soon as it is safe to do so.

Recently, the Government announced that it has commenced the very slow process of gradually lifting the restrictions which were implemented to protect the lives of all of our country’s citizens. To assist headteachers and governing bodies with their planning on how to re-admit more of their pupils back to the school premises once conditions allow, the Catholic Education Service has sought to work closely with the Government to ensure that proper support and clear information is given to dioceses, religious orders, multi-academy trusts and schools. Ultimately though, the safety, health and wellbeing of both pupils and staff must be our foremost priority.

Our society will have to live with the legacy of this crisis for many months and years to come but the fortitude and resolve demonstrated by our Catholic schools’ sector during this emergency has been extraordinary and is something of which we can be rightly proud. 

As we face the challenges ahead of us, please do continue to pray for our schools and colleges, their leaders, teachers, parents and pupils.

With the assurance of my prayers and every blessing, I remain

Yours in the Lord

+ Marcus

The Right Reverend Marcus Stock

Chairman of the Catholic Education Service

Bishop of Leeds

21st May 2020

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